Research

New initiatives for industrial and international partnerships are enabling Waterloo engineers to develop strategic research collaborations in areas such as wireless communications, the mobile internet, additive manufacturing, advanced robotics, biomedical engineering and sustainable energy. 

The Engineering Research Office (ERO) proactively builds relationships with funding agencies, potential sponsors and other stakeholders, pairing the university’s leading engineering researchers with government and industry, to advance new technologies to improve the human condition.

Waterloo Engineering maintains research partnerships with close to 800 Canadian companies and 300 companies internationally, targeting strategic research partnerships with leading global universities.

Several Senate-approved research centres, including the Centre for Advanced Trenchless Technology, the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy, the Waterloo Centre for Automotive Research and the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology form part of Waterloo Engineering’s commitment to research excellence.
 

Areas of Concentration


Additive manufacturing banner
Additive Manufacturing
Fundamentally changing the way things are made.
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Advanced manufacturing banner
Advanced Manufacturing
Controls and precision tooling, lightweight materials, structural crashworthiness, advanced materials. 
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Architecture and design banner
Architecture & Design
Digital design and fabrication technologies, environmental issues and new material economies, globalization, urbanization.
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Automotive banner
Automotive
Autonomous, connected, and mechanical vehicular research.
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Biomedical engineering banner
Biomedical Engineering
Bio-compatibility and in-vitro modelling, human movement, ergonomics, wearable technology.
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Blockchain banner
Blockchain
Shaping the future of blockchain technologies.
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Connectivity and Internet of Things banner
Connectivity and Internet of Things
Advancing IoT research to connect and exchange data.
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Cybersecurity banner
Cybersecurity
Locking down data security.
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Data analytics banner
Data Analytics
Developing sound business decisions.
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Energy storage banner
Energy storage
Alternative fuels, energy harvesting, bio-energy, power systems.
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Nanotechnology banner
Nanotechnology
Nano-biosystems, nano-electronics, nano-instrumentation, nano-materials.
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Operational artificial intelligence banner
Operational Artificial Intelligence
Robotics and machine intelligence, machine learning. 
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Robotics banner
Robotics
Human machine interaction, autonomous robotics, rahabilitation and assistive robotics, micro and nano robitics, and sensing and control.
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Smart infrastructure banner
Smart infrastructure
Transporation networks, smart buildings, smart communities, and sensors and devices.
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Supply chain and logistics banner
Supply chain and logistics
Digital factories, operational research and logistics.
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Vision systems and imaging
Vision systems and imaging
Image processing, medical imaging and scanning.
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Water banner
Water
Drinking water, value-added recovery and waste water management.
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Wireless communications and network research banner
Wireless communications and networks
Delivering transformative wireless technology.
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Contact the Engineering Research Office to partner with world-renowned researchers

Engineering Research Office Resources for Faculty 

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News

An interdisciplinary research team has engineered bacteria commonly found in wastewater treatment plants to break down harmful microplastics before they make their way into the environment.

The team, which includes members from the faculties of Engineering and Math at the University of Waterloo, added DNA to several species of bacteria to enable them to biodegrade polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics, which take hundreds of years to degrade in the environment.

Waterloo Engineering co-op students stand out once again, this time for their significant contributions at Shopify, the global e-commerce company, using their advanced technical skills to enhance the merchant experience.

Waterloo alumni from the faculties of Engineering and Math employed at Shopify work closely with the students and laud their efforts in advancing Shopify's systems and solutions, spotlighting the critical role co-op students play in helping employers succeed.

In its latest strategic plan, Waterloo Engineering is not only preparing for the future—it’s creating it.

Guided by the long-term vision of Waterloo at 100, the Faculty of Engineering’s 2025–2030 strategic plan, Where Excellence Thrives, calls on the Faculty to go beyond solving real-world challenges and to take a leadership role in developing innovative solutions that benefit the global community.

Engineering Research Links